There are pros and cons to be considered if you’re trying to decide between water softener rentals or purchasing your own unit.
Here at WaterSmart, our water softener experts have over 25 years of experience in the water softener industry and we'd love to share our expertise with you. Contact us today.
Kitchener-Waterloo residents face unique hard water challenges. A water softener resolves these hard water problems, but whether you should rent or buy your water softener can be a difficult decision.
Here’s a quick overview to help make your decision. Keep reading for a more detailed explanation.
Water softener rentals don’t require much cash upfront.
There may be a fee for the initial installation, but you’re likely to pay month to month for usage.
Your maintenance and repairs are typically included in your monthly fee.
If there’s an issue with water softener rentals, the provider is responsible to fix it as they are the owner of the unit.
However, since water softeners are quite reliable, with proper care and maintenance, they don't often break down.
If and when they do, the repairs are typically not expensive. Also, if the unit needs to be replaced, the rental company will take care of it.
You’ll spend less upfront to acquire your water softener, but you will actually end up paying much more for it over time compared to investing in your own unit.
Let’s say you rent your water softener for $40/month and the original price was $1,000. After only 3 years of renting you would have already spent $1,440.
After 5 years, you would have spent $2,400, and after 10 years you would have spent $4,800.
A good quality water softener that’s well maintained can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years.
Over a ten-year period of renting your water softener, you will have paid almost 5 times more than if you had purchased it in the first place.
However, with renting you’re usually limited to whichever type of softener your rental company is offering.
You may not get the same freedom to choose the best model for your particular needs.
Keep In mind that water softener rentals are often used units.
This might not be a problem if the unit is in good working order.
However, if you buy your own softener, you know that you are getting a fresh out-of-the-box unit installed.
As mentioned above, water softener rentals save you money upfront, but over time, you’ll save money by buying your own unit.
Consider the total cost of ownership when deciding between renting and buying.
Additionally, if you choose a water softener company that offers financing like WaterSmart, you still don't need to make a large initial investment.
You can pay for your system in low monthly payments, similar to a rental payment.
And unlike renting, your payments will end after a short period of time and you will also be the owner of your water softener.
When you purchase your water softener, you have a much broader selection of models and brands to choose from.
You can even select a water softener that has been specially designed and programmed to meet the unique hard water challenges of the Kitchener-Waterloo region, like those from WaterSmart.
Repairs and maintenance might not be included, but when you purchase a quality water softener, it will come with a warranty that will cover parts and labour for a period of time to take the worry out of unexpected repairs or issues.
